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Article
Thickness of the Lower Trapezius and Serratus Anterior Using Ultrasound Imaging during a Repeated Arm Lifting Task
Manual Therapy
  • Joseph M. Day, University of Dayton
  • Timothy L. Uhl, University of Kentucky
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
12-1-2013
Abstract

The purposes of this study were to establish the reliability for measuring scapular muscle thickness, and to examine how scapular muscle thickness changes with respect to external loads. Participants were asymptomatic subjects recruited from a sample of convenience. Thickness Measures were taken using rehabilitative ultrasound imaging (RUSI) under 11 conditions, rest and 10 progressive loads, for the Lower Trapezius (LT) and Serratus Anterior (SA). The procedures were repeated 1 week later to determine reliability. Bland and Altman limits of agreement and Interclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were used to determine reliability. Separate repeated measure ANOVAs were performed to determine differences in muscle thickness for both muscles across 3 conditions; rest and the 2 loaded conditions that represented the lowest and highest torque values. Results demonstrate good within and between day reliability for the LT (ICC = .86 to .99) and SA (ICC = .88 to .99). For the LT and SA, there were significant differences between the resting thickness and 2 lifting conditions (p ≤ .01) but not between the two lifting conditions. It was concluded that RUSI is reliable in measuring scapular muscle thickness. RUSI is sensitive enough to detect absolute changes in thickness from resting to a contracted state but unable to detect differences between loads imposed on the shoulder.

Inclusive pages
588-593
ISBN/ISSN
1356-689X
Publisher
Elsevier
Peer Reviewed
Yes
Keywords
  • Reliability,
  • Scapula,
  • Shoulder
Citation Information
Joseph M. Day and Timothy L. Uhl. "Thickness of the Lower Trapezius and Serratus Anterior Using Ultrasound Imaging during a Repeated Arm Lifting Task" Manual Therapy Vol. 18 Iss. 6 (2013)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/joseph-day/13/